Early in his career, the Oscar-nominated actor vowed to never take a speaking role. He kept his promise for many years, appearing in scores of films as daring, albeit silent, stunt men. He served as Roy Rogers' exclusive stand-in for nearly 10 years. But when he was too old and not nimble enough to double as younger actors, Farnsworth returned to speaking roles. He earned an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in Comes a Horseman (1978). He also appeared in The Grey Fox (1982) and The Natural (1984). His second Oscar nomination came in 2000, for his role in 1999's The Straight Story, David Lynch's eloquent (and G-rated) film about a 73-year old Iowan who set out to visit his sick brother in Wisconsin on a trusty lawnmower.